1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved package for sheets of notepaper or the like and for dispensing individual sheets from a stack in the package. In one aspect, the present invention relates to an improvement in packages for individually dispensing sheet material adhered together along one edge by a peelable layer wherein removal of one article withdraws one end of the next article which can then be separated without withdrawing the said second article.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention provides an improvement in a dispenser for dispensing serially sheets of material which are provided in a stack wherein each sheet is releasably adhered to the next adjacent sheet along an end with each sheet adhered to the next adjacent sheet along opposite edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,392 (Smith), issued Nov. 22, 1983, and is assigned to the assignee of this application, discloses a dispenser for dispensing sheets of material wherein each sheet is adhered to the next adjacent sheet by a narrow band of adhesive material with the adhesive coated on the lower side of each sheet on alternately opposite edges of successive sheets. In the embodiments of the dispenser shown in the patent the sheets were dispensed from the stack through a fixed opening in the dispenser, and in one embodiment the short stack of sheets could be dispensed through the opening without the next successive sheet falling back through the opening during the dispensing operation or being withdrawn in a chain. A second embodiment was an improvement in that the stack of sheets is moved upwardly as they were dispensed toward the opening by a movable platform which was spring-urged toward the opening. This construction permits the stack of sheets to be greater, but, requires numerous parts. Other constructions exist for dispensing fan-folded sheets or stamps, and one known stamp dispenser is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,306. issued May 4, 1980 to W. P. Rabner. In this dispenser the fan-folded sheets are adhered together and withdrawing one will withdraw the other, but then the sheets must be severed by tearing along the perforate edge defining the line of separation. Again, this dispenser had a fixed opening and was adapted to handle a small number of articles such that the article being dispensed did not have a length which would exceed the height of the dispenser such that the articles did not have a tendency to fall back into the dispenser. Separation of the stamps was not accomplished with continued withdrawing or pulling force being applied to the stamp.
The present invention readily overcomes the disadvantages known in prior known dispensers for individual sheets or strips of material.
The present invention affords a means for dispensing individual sheets in a manner which makes the successive dispensing of the next sheet substantially effortless.